Matchday 5 of the Premier League takes place with midweek action and fresh off a fruitful weekend, Mick Bennett runs his eye over the new round with hopefully some more good returns.
The first midweek fixtures of the season rolls around. Round Five blends with the weekend's Round Six, offering football tragics six straight days of EPL action.
There was sense of stability about the Round Four results on the weekend with the top seven teams from last season all winning, although only Liverpool did it easily.
Man. City has incredibly given away two-goal starts at four of their last six EPL fixtures, with a net result of two wins and two draws from those games. Never write them off.
Arsenal and Tottenham are showing resilience that hasn't been a cornerstone for either team in the past decade or more. Their sternest tests are still to come.
Chelsea coped with the send-off of Gallagher very well against Leicester – it is hard to know what to make of them just yet. Suffice to say, if you had to pick a team to play with a man down at the moment, Leicester would be high on the list.
Liverpool's massacre of Bournemouth will serve as a confidence-booster, but it is hard to gauge the level of performance against such appalling defence.
Man. Utd and West Ham both grabbed vital 1-0 away wins but neither team impressed, and the games were far and away the two most uninspiring matches of the round for spectators; the first half of Villa v West Ham was truly awful.
The betting opportunities looked limited for this round of matches, but we'll try and find a couple of little plays.
CRYSTAL PALACE v BRENTFORD: Wednesday 31 August at 4.30pm
Hopefully this offers more than the 21/22 clashes between these London rivals; both games ended 0-0.
Palace gave City a hell of a fright at the Etihad on Saturday, but Patrick Vieira would be disappointed with them conceding four times. They couldn't stay in the game offensively for as long as they did against Liverpool when they managed a draw, and Haaland proved he is world class in turning the game on its head; his third goal will send shivers down the spines of central defenders everywhere.
Brentford was unlucky not to get more than a draw against Everton. They dominated long stretches of the game and found the woodwork three times.
Just how this will pan out is tough to predict. Palace's defence has been solid at Selhurst Park in recent times; they have conceded just five goals in their last nine games at home. On the other hand, Brentford are not a team that is bothered by travel and have managed to score seven times in their last three road trips.
Palace at 2.05 and Brentford 3.60 looks a little lop-sided for mine; I would have them a lot closer but I'm not confident enough to wager.
FULHAM v BRIGHTON: Wednesday 31 August 4.45am
The clash of two success stories of the early part of the season.
Fulham was second best against Arsenal on the weekend but grabbed a lead and pushed the Gunners right to the end. Mitrovic proved what a weapon he is against any opposition, nicking the ball from an embarrassed Gabriel to score against the run of play.
Brighton did a better job than any side has done this season in blunting the considerable offensive capabilities of Leeds Utd. Well-organised in defence and able to hold the ball for long periods, they are going to be a handful for any side. They have conceded just once this campaign, and that was an own goal.
These two have met four times in the EPL, with three finishing all square and Fulham winning on the other occasion. Brighton has won five of their last seven away games, including the notable scalps of Spurs, Man U and West Ham.
I think Fulham at home can test the Seagulls in one of the tightest contests of the round. A draw looks a realistic outcome.
Bet: Draw @ 3.20
SOUTHAMPTON v CHELSEA: Wednesday 31 August 4.45am
These sides come out of their weekend fixtures with very different vibes.
The Saints will feel they should have grabbed at least a point against a moderate Man Utd who didn't ask too many questions; a wonderful strike by Fernandez was the difference.
Conversely, Chelsea played three-quarters of their game against Leicester with ten men and after the re-shaping by Tuchel they did a good job to hold out the visitors. Sterling scored twice on the counter after the Blues sat back and absorbed Leicester who committed players forward.
Chelsea has a habit of putting big scores on Southampton, regardless of the venue. This fixture went 6-0 the way of the visitors last season. In fact, Chelsea has scored at least three in seven of their last 11 meetings.
The market has Chelsea at around 1.60 which seems fair. Taking them in a multi with Arsenal.
LEEDS v EVERTON: Wednesday 31 August 5.00am
The clash of the two survivors of the 21/22 relegation scrap. Leeds has certainly come out swinging this season, which is more than can be said for the Toffees who are in real trouble this early in the piece.
Brighton frustrated Leeds in the first half on Saturday but the Whites had their chances in the second term and could easily have grabbed a point. Not having Bamford as a target is hurting them a little.
Gordon for Everton was the difference between them and another defeat against Brentford on the weekend. They offer little going forward except for the aforementioned 21-year-old who continues to pique the interest of Chelsea. He may well have departed by the time this match rolls around. If he does go, markets will tighten in favour of the home side.
Everton has reliable defensive campaigners Coady and Tarkowski in their back three. It is interesting to note they have only conceded one goal from open play in the first 80 minutes of their four games to date. At home, Leeds will throw everything but the kitchen sink at this as they'll have it chalked-in as a three-pointer.
This match looks like a Leeds win on paper, but I keep tossing and turning for some reason which is disconcerting. Betting isn't compulsory, so I'll leave it alone.
BOURNEMOUTH V WOLVES: Thursday 1 September 4.30am
What do Bournemouth do after that humiliation at Anfield? Southampton had the same score line inflicted in consecutive seasons recently. They responded each time with one-goal defeats away from home against Newcastle and Man City so there was a positive response. The difference is that the Saints were a long way off relegation in both of those seasons, whereas the Cherries are at about 1.35 to go down. Manager Scott Parker has admitted the squad is not up to EPL standard.
Wolves are playing very well, and their table position is a poor indication of their worth. It took a stunning strike from Saint Maximin in the 90th minute to deny them an opening win against Newcastle on Sunday. As we have said repeatedly, scoring is their problem – just one goal in the last 354 minutes. However, this looks a mouth-watering clash for a team long overdue a win.
Bournemouth only lost three times at home last season but were miles behind Arsenal at their most recent match at the Vitality. They will find the visitors difficult to break down and Wolves will see this as their chance to get some runs on the board. At better than evens they look a nice bet.
Bet: Wolves to win at 2.10
ARSENAL V ASTON VILLA: Thursday 1 September 4.30am
As expected, Arsenal had a torrid time getting the better of Fulham on the weekend. Although they dominated it took a full 90-minute effort to get the better of their cross-London rivals.
A real feature for them this campaign has been their self-belief and resilience. They have conceded three goals this season and responded in 2 minutes, 1 minute, and 8 minutes respectively. The fluidity of one and two touch passing, vibrancy off the ball, and quality in front of goal is the reason they are maximum points.
Playing Devil's Advocate for a minute though, they are not being tested by sides likely to finish in the top 8 and their real tests will come in October.
Villa is not playing well, which is a hangover from last season. West Ham's central defence was strong on Sunday but even when the ball went wide against pedestrian defenders, they never really looked like breaching a side out of form. Along with Leicester and Everton they are a big club in big trouble.
I will be very surprised if the Gunners don't get the three points, and 1.45 is generous.
Multi: Chelsea and Arsenal to win @ 2.32
MANCHESTER CITY v NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Thursday 1 September 4.30am
Forest played easily their best game since promotion against Spurs on Sunday, dominating possession for large portions of the game and throwing plenty at a side who defended in outstanding fashion. Vulnerability to the counterattack cost them with so many bodies going forward.
They better not try the same tactics against City at the Etihad or this will get ugly. Cooper is a smart manager and will make compromises.
City just has so many goals in them, particularly with Haaland settling in extremely well, that it is hard to design a way to get anything from them at home. Spurs were the last team to win at the Etihad, virtually playing ten behind the ball then hitting them on the break. But they had Kulusevski, Son and Kane to call upon.
City to win, but 1.08 is not for me.
WEST HAM v TOTTENHAM: Thursday 1 September 4.45am
The Hammers are off the mark, but their first 45 minutes at Villa Park on Sunday was atrocious. Save for Zouma and Kehrer in central defence, the other eight on-field players were sluggish and sloppy with the ball. A deflected goal to Fornals broke the deadlock in the second half, which was a lot better for West Ham, but against just about any other opponent they would have been spanked.
Spurs sat back against Forest as they did against Wolves, with four midfielders tight in front of their back three. When Colombian Sanchez starts, they look almost impregnable. This sort of stone-walling defence hurts West Ham; they always find it difficult to break down. The commentator on Sunday referred to it as 'rope-a-dope' tactics, which is an apt description.
Son continues to look a bit out of sorts, but Kane is on fire and zeroing in on the club goal-scoring record held by the immortal Jimmy Greaves.
The Hammers won this fixture 1-0 last season but they were flying at the time. Tottenham has not lost on the road in their last seven.
Can't see a West Ham win but the confidence has been restored somewhat and they do have a habit of surprising against big-name opponents. Can't decide which way to go so leave this game alone.
LIVERPOOL v NEWCASTLE: Thursday 1 September 5.00am
Clearly the match of the round.
The Liverpool win over Bournemouth is difficult to line up as the resistance was so feeble. The form leading up to the match was poor and scoring nine against a side that was unwilling to tackle is hardly 'turned the corner' stuff – ignore the effusive press who are desperate for the top six to succeed.
Newcastle scrapped out a draw away from home on the weekend against an efficient Wolves outfit. Unlike the deadlock at Brighton, the Magpies dominated possession at Molineux but found the defence hard to breach. It took a wonder strike to break Wolves' hearts.
This is historically a cracking match, but it is one that Liverpool dominates. They are unbeaten in the past 26 clashes at Anfield. In the last five, there has been a draw and four wins to Liverpool by two-goal or more. However, this is a different Newcastle side. The pace of Saint Maximan and Almiron will be utilised to get in behind Alexander-Arnold and Robertson who don't defend well when they are forced to turn and chase.
Liverpool probably gets away with maximum points, but I suspect it will be close. The 1.28 on offer the home side is unappealing. There should be goals in this so that's the way we will invest.
Bet: Both teams to score @ 1.87
LEICESTER v MANCHESTER UTD: Friday 2 September 5.00am
Man Utd line up for the hat-trick after a less-than-convincing win at St Mary's. The stats were even and a quality finish by Fernandez was the difference. Confidence is slowly growing at Old Trafford, and the new signings are vital to keeping their momentum up.
Leicester is in big trouble defensively. Against ten men at Chelsea they were opened up on numerous occasions, particularly by Cucurella. They currently prop up the ladder with the second worst against record in the league. It is interesting that eight of the ten goals conceded have come in the second half. The four goals conceded at the King Power have all come in the final half-hour of the game.
This match-up, until recently, had been dominated by the Red Devils. However, the last five meetings in all competitions has seen two draws and three Leicester victories. At home, Leicester has put away nine goals against Man U in the last three encounters. Perhaps for this reason there are black odds available about the away side.
This one is hard to call so it is not a sound betting proposition.
